Invalid&#39;s bed



M. E. KELLUM.

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INVALID'S BED. APPLICATIQN FILED 001*. 2?. 1919.

8, 1921. a SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Patented Feb.

i M W M. E. KELLUM.

INVALIDS BED. APPLICATION FILED 0c'T.2r, I919.

1,368,21 1. Patented Feb. 8,1921.

3 SHEETSSHEET 3- PATENT OFFICE.

MARGARET ELLEN KELLUM, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK.

INVALIDS BED.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 8, 1921.

App1ication filed October 27, 1919. Serial No. 333,548.

To all whom may concern:

Be it known that I, itdiauoannr ELLEN KELLUM, a citizen of the United States, residing at buffalo, in the county of Erie and State of New York, have invented new and useful improvements in invalids Beds, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a bed for invalids who are so sick that they can not be moved about in the bed without serious injury and relates more particularly to a bed for so called bed ridden invalids who are forced to lie practically motionless in a reclined. position for a considerable period.

The object of the invention is to permit of hygienically caring for such patients during their disability, by providing an improved type of bed bucket or bed pan which may be used without moving the patient from his prone, quiet position in the bed. Bi. further object of the invention is to provide an improved form of sheet or mattress coverto be used in conjunction with said bed bucket and adapted to be readily removed and replaced without unduly disturbing the patient. Further objects and advantages of the invention will be more clearly disclosed in the drawings and following description.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a diminutive perspective view of the mattress with its plug cushion which are used with my improved invalids bed. Fig. 2 is a diminutive fragmentary perspective of said mattress and plug cushion. Fig. 3 is a diminutive fragmentary perspective showin r said plug cushion replaced by a bed bucket. Fig. 4-2 is a diminutive perspective of the mattress frame'. Fig. 5 is a vertical longitudinal section through the bed taken on line 55, Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is a vertical transverse section through the bed taken on line 6-6, F ig. 5. Fig. 7 is a central vertical section through the removable cover of the plug cushion. Fig. 8 is a side elevation of said plug cushion. Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the central slide plate of the mat tress frame together with its channel iron slide rails. Fig. 10 is a vertical longitudinal section showing said plug cushion replaced by a bed bucket. Fig. 11 is a similar vertical longitudinal section through the bed showing the supporting stand with its bed. bucket partially removed from the bed. Fig. 12 is a perspective of the supporting stand with its bed bucket. Fig. 13 is a front and rear perspective view of the cover of the bed bucks Fi s. 1d and 15 are perspective views of modified supports for the bed bucket. rigs. 16 and 17 are top plan views of the two coiiperating mattress cover sections. F ig. 18 is a top plan of the complete primary mattress cover. Fig. 19 is a top plan of the secondary mattress cover.

Similar characters of reference refer to like parts throughout the several views.

In its general organization, this invention consists of a perforated mattress 20, Whose aperture 21 is normally adapted to be closed by a plug cushion 22. l/Vhenever it is deired to use the bed bucket 23 for toilet purposes, a slide supporting plate 24 is moved transversely and the plug cushion 22 removed. Thereafter the bed bucket 23 is dropped into its supporting stand and slid transversely under the bed, the bucket being depressed by the pressure of the'foot upon a pedal 25. When the bed bucket has been brought under the aperture 21, the pressure on said pedal 25 is released and said bucket allowed to move vertically upwardly into said aperture 21.

The mattress 20 may be supported upon any suitable frame or bed springs, the frame shown however, being preferred, comprising two main longitudinal supportin spars 26 arranged longitudinally along each edge of the mattress and connected at their opposite ends by two transversely disposed spars 27 which are arranged adjacent to each end of the mattress. Connected to said spars by suitable tension springs 28 are a pair of rectangular frame sections 30 constructed preferably of resilient metal strips 31 and 42 provided with suitable lacings or wires 33 for evenly distributingthe weight of the mattress. Arranged between said frame sections 30 and connected thereto by tension springs 34: is a transversely disposed slide plate 35, which is provided with a large vertical central hole 36 for the accommodation of the plug cushion 22 aforesaid.

Secured to the lower face of said slide plate 35 is a pair of inwardly facing transversely disposed guide or slide rails 37 preferably of channel-iron shape forming upwardly facing runways 38. Adapted to be transversely slid upon said runways is the aforesaid slide supporting plate 2 1 preferably provided with a downwardly projecting handle 40 at the outer longitudinal end thereof so as to facilitate the movement of said plate. The plug cushion 22 is adapted to normally rest upon this slide supporting plate so that said cushion may completely fill or plug up the aperture 21 of the mattress. lVhen it is desired to remove'said plug cushion 22, the said plate 2 L is, slid into the dotted line position shown in 6 and the cushion grasped by. a suitable handle ring 41 and pulled vertically downwardly, said ring 41 being preferably a stiff and comparatively heavy metal rin connected to the lower face of said plug cushion by flexible canvas strap 42, so as to permit said ring to fold up flat against said lower face of said plug cushion. To facilitate the removal or the insertion of the plug cushion 22, the same is made of conical shape, tapering upwardly, the top face however being substantially fiat, so as to make the same flush and even with the top surface of the mattress when the cushion is in place. To prevent the soiling of said plug cushion when being used as part of the ma tress proper, the same is preferably provided with a suitable cap cushion cover 43 which is preferably constructed of non-absorbent rial and is preferably provided on its lower edge with suitable hooks 44 which are adapted to be hooked into eyes 45 which are suitably secured to the inclined face of said plug cushion. Said hooks and eyes may however be omitted where the cost is an important factor; the frictional contact between the cushion and mattress being sufficient to hold said cushion cover snugly in place. For sanitary reasons also the conical aperture 21 of the mattress is likewise lined with a rubber or other non-absorbent facing L6, the upper terminal edge of which is provided with an annular inwardly facing horizontal flange l7, which acts to smoothly and evenly cover the joint between the cushion and the mattress and prevents anything from getting caught or pinched in said joint.

A supporting stand for the aforesaid bed bucket23 is shown complete in Fig. 12, the same comprising an upper sliding guide plate 48 and a lower bucket supporting plate 50 uponwhich said bucket is adapted to rest. At their corners said two plates are connect ed together by a plurality of'compression springs 51, the same being suitably riveted or brazed at their upper and lower ends respectively, ,tosaid plates. A plurality of vertically disposed leg or supporting compression springs 52 are secured at their upper ends to the lower face of the supporting plate 50, their lower ends being provided with suitable rubber wheeled casters or rollers 53. Suspended from the lower face of said supporting plate50 is a foot or pressure frame 54jprovided at its lower end with the pressure plate or foot pedal 25 aforesaid.

' Afterthe plug cushion 22 and the slide plate 24 have been'removed, the'b ed bucket 23 is dropped through a suitable guiding hole 55 in the upper guide plate l8 of the supporting stand, the bucket resting on the lower or supporting plate 50 being preferably centered thereon by a suitable upwardly extending annular flange 56, which receives the lower "or narrow end of said bed bucket, The foot is then placed upon the pedal 25 and the same pressed downwardly, permitting the upper or guide plate L8 to be engaged'with the runway 38, whereupon the whole supporting stand, together with its bed bucket is moved transversely until said bed bucket comes approximately into position beneath the tapered aperture 21 of the mattress and beneath the large hole 36 of the slide plate 25. The pressure of the pedal 25 is then released, which allows the compression springs to force upwardly the supporting platefiO and hence also the bed bucket, causing the lattter to assume the position shown in Fig. 10. The conical surface of the mattress aperture 21 acts to guide or centralize the bed bucket into proper position, should the supporting band be somewhat out of. line with said aperture. The upward movement of said bed bucket is limited by the inwardly facing annular flange 47 aforesaid which contacts with and sanitarily covers the edge of the bed bucket, and the upward movement is also stopped when the upper compression springs 5lhave been completely compressed, When it is desired to remove the bed bucket, the foot is again placed and presses'upon the pedal 25 and then the laterally extending handle 60, which is fastened to the lower or supporting plate 50 is then seized by the hand and the whole stand slides out from under the bed.

Means are provided also for automatically covering up said bed bucket as the same is being removed from the bed as follows:

A fiat bucket cover 61 is provided having a downwardly depending rim 62 therearound which rests around the bucket, such rim being cut away. for a portion of its periphery to permit it to be slid over or. away from the bucket.

A modified and less expensive form of supporting stand is shown in Fig. 14 in which the supporting leg springs 52 are eliminated is likewise the automatic cover feature. In this case, the stand has to be lifted into the runways 88, but the general operation is otherwise the same.

A still less expensive form of bed bucket support is shown in Fig. 15, which is more particularly adapted for use in free municipal hospital wards. In this case, the upper and lower plates are rigidly connected by posts 69 and a hinged drop cover 500 is provided which may be dropped into the dotted position shown and the bucket inserted manually through a suitable hole 550 in the lower or supporting plate. When the bucket is in place, said cover 500 is swung up and secured in place by a suitable catch or latch 150.

Adapted to suit the particular construction of this improved invalids bed, is a sheet or mattress cover 68, which is constructed in two sections 70 and 700 each of which is. provided with a plurality of suitable button holes 71 or other suitable means whereby the same may be secured to the mattress. Each section is provided with a central opening 72 which is arranged to be alined with the aperture 21 of the mattress.

Each mattress cover section is also provided at one end with a pair of leg or connecting portions '73 extending longitudinally from said opening 72 to the outer edge of said cover section, so that each section may be securely fastened to each of the four corners of the mattress and all unevenness and wrinkling thereby avoided. tween said leg portions 7 3 is a slit 74 which also extends longitudinally from the central opening 72 to the outer edge of the mattress and is sufiiciently wide so that the patient may be supported in said slit and be tween said leg portions, and the removal from the bed of the mattress cover sections being thereby considerably facilitated. l l hen desired an additional mattress cover 75 may be also employed, which may be constructed of a comparatively cheap non-absorbent material and is adapted to be removed from the bed less frequently than the mattress cover sections aforesaid, and may, if desired, be loosely sewed directly to the mattress proper to the flange 47, so as to absolutely prevent any soiling by liquids of the mattress.

On the whole, this invention is seen to be Formed bea great boon to those patients who are forced to lie prone in bed for a considerable period, and it maybe instrumental even in saving the life of those who are put through terrific agonies when forced to sit up or even move slightly. Normally the upper surface is soft and unbroken and yet whenever required the plug cushion 22 may be very readily removed and the supporting stand 50 with its bed bucket 23 easily slid under the bed, and said bucket elevated into proper position. The odium which attaches to the operation of the device is completely eliminated by the slide cover 63 which automatically either covers or uncovers itself as the case may be. And furthermore the mattress and cushion covers are adapted to easily permit of keeping the bed and patient sani' tary and wholesome at all times, without unduly disturbing the patient.

I claim as my invention:

1. An in'valids bed comprising a mattress frame provided with a runway, a mattress arranged thereon and provided with a central aperture, a carriage arranged to slide in said runway, and a bucket adapted to be received within said aperture and adapted to resiliently rest on said carriage, said bucket being adapted to be resiliently moved vertically downwardly out of said aperture.

2. An invalids bed comprising a mattress "frame provided with a horizontal runway, a carriage arranged to slide on said runway, a supporting plate arranged on said carriage and resiliently forced vertically upwardly relatively thereto, a mattress provided with an aperture, and a bed bucket adapted to rest on said supporting plate and adapted to be received within said aperture.

MARGARET ELLEN KELLUM. 

